Control handle for model airplanes



May 9, 1950 R RYMER 2,507,053

CONTROL HANDLE FOR MODEL AIRPLANES Filed Aug. 15, 1946 INVENTOR. Po/V/f6 @wvae Iii/0% (g Arrys.

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to control grips or handles for controllingU-Control model airplanes before and during flight.

The model airplane hobby, which started many years ago, substantiallyconcurrent with the development of full sized airplanes, has within thelast decade been encouraged and accelerated by the development andmanufacture of small but powerful engines particularly designed for useon model airplanes. One of the most popular of the model airplanes hasbeen the U-Control model which is adapted to be secured by fine wires,usually 50 or '75 feet in length, so that the model Will fly in a circlearound the operator standing at the center of the circle and holding onto the control wires. It will be understood that the control wires aretwo in number, ordinarily, and that by pulling on one or the other ofthe wires the elevators on the model airplane are controlled to guidethe airplane in flight. The term U-Control is not a trademark but ismerely a name or designation which has been rather widely adopted andused in the model airplane field to refer to flying models controlled bythe operator through fine wires when in flight.

Heretofore, the operator end of the control wires are secured to a grip,for example, to opposite ends of a handle portion. The operator of theairplane, who is usually the builder also, will position the grip at thecenter of the circle and will walk back to his airplane to help get themotor started. Once the motor is started, he will quickly run back tothe center of the circle and pick up the grip, and particularly underthe stress and excitement of competition in model airplane meets, theoperator will sometimes have difliculty in recalling which end of thegrip is up, and is to be moved to give up elevator. Also, on known gripsthere is no adequate provision for adjustably connecting the controlwires to the grip, and the result is that a very small movement of thecontrol grip may cause a relatively large movement of the airplaneelevators, or vice versa, making the airplane very diflicult to controlin flight. Moreover, if the flying field is muddy, the control grip willin turn become muddy which is obviously objectionable.

It is the general object of my invention to avoid and overcome theforegoing and other difflculties of and objections to known devices forcontrolling U-Control model airplanes in flight by the provision of animproved, relatively inexpensive, control grip characterized by a fullymolded handle portion, means parallel to but spaced from the handleportion providing a considerable number of selectable points to whichthe control wires may be secured, and by means associated with thehandle portion which spear down into the ground, when desired, to alwaysmaintain the grip in proper position and free from dirt, and ready forinstantaneous flying.

Another object of my invention is to provide a grip of the characterdescribed made from a single integral piece of sheet metal, ordinarilyby stamping operation, and to provide a fully formed handle thereon bymolding or otherwise securing rubber or other plastic thereto.

The foregoing objects of my invention, and other objects which willbecome apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by theprovision of a U-Control grip including a daggershaped body having ablade adapted to be pressed into the ground, a handle associated withthe blade, and means carried by the handle providing more than twoselectable points of attachment for the control wires, said blade handleand means usually made from a single integral piece of sheet metal, andwith a plastic handle body being molded around the handle.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had tothe accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a best know embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the grip illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the handle takensubstantially on line Ill-III of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the numeral it] indicates generally a dagger-shapedpiece of sheet metal having a handle portion l2 and extending legportion l4, and. :a c-shaiped portion it carried by the handle portionand positioned substantially parallel to the handle portion. Preferablythe several portions described are integral and are stamped as a singlepiece from a flat sheet of sheet metal, such as aluminum or steel.

The handle portion I2 is ordinarily provided with body forming means toprovide a round, smooth, easily grasped grip of appreciable thicknessfitting comfortably in the palm and fingers of the user of the grip. Theprovision of the body on the handle portion may be achieved in a varietyof ways, for example, by fastening wood or plastic halves to the handleportion with rivets or other suitable means. However, the body portionis most conveniently secured to the handle portion by molding a body ofrubber or other suitable plastic, such as designated by the numeral l8,around the handle portion 12. To insure an adequate bond between thebody portion I8 and handle portion i2, I preferably provide a pluralityof apertures 20 in the handle portion [2 through which the rubber of thebody portion [8 will flow during the vulcanizing operationtosecurelylockthe body,.portion IS on the handle portion Also, the sides of the handle:portion ii are stamped to have a width somewhat smaller than the widthof the body portion It, as indicated by the line 22 to further lock thebody portion in place and to; prevent the edge of the handle portion 12from ever coming out to the surface of the body portion to cut oraggravate the fingers ,or palm of the operator.

The blade portion i i of the grip is made of any desired length orshape, it being understood -that the' function of the blade is topermitthe blade to be speared down into'the groandto support the grip inan-upright position-during the time that the airplane, the controlwires,and the grip are-being readied for afiight of the airplane. Theblade i4is ordinaril-y at least several inches long to achieve-the desiredaction. The'c-shapedportionit of the grip is provided -..with a;plurality of holes z l which provide select- -able points for attachmentof the airplane-con- 30 trol:wires,-indicated by the numeral. 5. It willbe recognizedithatby providinga plurality of f/11811018814.along-theportion is of the grip, that the-operator mayselectany two or" the holes:ioreceivethe control cables L. If-the holes selected are .the holesnearest together, then tilting. the grip in use will effect a relatively.small movement of .the. control wires. Onthe. other hand, if the-holes;24 =which.are the greatest :distance apart are selected. to;receive. the. control wires thenqthe tilting of thegrip during thecontrol ,of .the ;-model airplane :will effect the egreatestpossiblemovement of the control wires. lIrrthis. waythegrip lcan;be adapted tobest con- :trol anmnarticuar. model airplane. inv flight.

An earr,28.;may .be ,formedintegral withzthe ,topof thehandle portionJ2, andthe operator :may. hook his thumb. over i. the ear. 28whens-holding the grip to further insure ;a :particularly positive,grippin and controlling. action- From the foregoing'itrwilhbe recognizedthat :thevarious objects'of'the invention have-been achieved by theprovision of a relatively simple, in xpensive control grip, for model,airplanes and characterizedby means forpositioni-ng the-grip verticallyin relation to the airplane, and gror .facilitating the; best possibleco trol connection -between .theigripand .a model airplane.

.While in accord Witnthepatent; statutes one ,embodiment of the.invention has been illustrated and-.,described in detail, none the.-less,; I amnot- ,to belimited thereto or-therebypthe scope of ,theinvention being defined in the appended 61811115.

I claim:

:1..A handle -for ,controlling and holding a .U-Control model airplanein flight, comprising a single flat plate of metal formed with anelongated body portion including a handle area and a pointed short,stubby dagger-like area at one end of the handle area, said single fiatplate including a C-shaped portion joining integrally with the bodyportion at both ends of the handle area, said C-shaped portion having aplurality of holes therein for adjustable attachment of control wires, ahandle grip of plastic molded around and through the handle area, of thebody portion, and an ear on the upper end of the body portion on whichthe operators thumb is adapted to rest.

;2. 'A handle ,f or .controlling and holding a U-Control,model airplanein flight, comprising a single flat plate of metal formed with anelongated.,body;portion including a handle area, said single fiat plateincluding a C-shaped portion joining integrally with the body portion atboth ends of the handle area, said C-shaped portion rhav-inga plurality.of speciallydefinedlpoints of '-attachment for control wires, a handlei-grip of plastic molded around and through the handle area .of the bodyportion, anda-n -ear on lthe upper end i of vthe :body portion on whichthe operators thumb is" adapted: to rest.

3. A eontrol vgrip for .UeControl model air- .planes including adagger-shaped body having :a;blade adapted tobelpressed into the ground,,a ,handle associated :With the blade, ..-and flat meanscarried by the hndle: and havin holes .formed th rein for .providing m re than twoselecta l poin s f at achm n for the c ntrol 1-wir sl aid blad l-h ndlan m n compr sing si p ece of -.she trmeta and a plastic hand b dy [moded ar und :th :ha dle.

e ;A c ntro eripio I-Contro mod l-ai "planes includin a A a ee eshapeddy th -r ng a bladeadapted to. be pressed ;into the gronnd, 1 a! handsec ed-t th b adaand meansnarried .bylthehandie andhaving aplurality or"holes there n tor-provi ing mor han .two sel ctabl points 1 ofattachment l for l the control .wires, and a plastic handle; bodymolded-aroundthe handle.

5. AVcontrol -grip for U.-Co ntrol modehairplanes including a shortdagger shaped body havin a z' ade adapted ,to ,be ,pressed into :-thegrtound,,;a han dle associated with the blade-311d meanscarried by. thehandleproviding more than two fixedly located-hilt selectable pointspfattachment fpruthe control. wires, said blade, handle and meanscomprising a .single piece of,sl 1 eet metal.

' ROM E GLEN. ,RYMER.

R'EFERENCES CITED .flhe 5 following references are of record ,inl thefile ,of this p ten UNITED =S ATES PATENTS 5,920 Great. Britain :Mar.20, :1-900

